Public Hearing on Franklin BOE’s Proposed FY22 Budget Set for Thursday

Franklin County School Board members will hear from the public Thursday evening regarding the proposed FY2022 budget in the first of two mandated public hearings.

However, Monday evening School Board members heard from Bonnie Knight a former Madison County CFO who was asked by School Superintendent Chris Forrer to develop a tentative budget based on 17 mils from last year and the school system’s strategic plan.

Knight said the FY22 budget was formulated based on the school’s strategic plan of improving resources and technology, facilities, focus on instruction, innovation, and equitable staffing of schools.

Knight said also included in the upcoming budget is a new line-item dedicated to staff morale.

“It’s been a rough year for all staff and students and for the community as a whole. So, we want to make sure that’s addressed,” she said.

Interim Superintendent Chuck Colquitt said they will look into that recommendation once the budget is approved and will make a decision after they know what the tax revenue will be.

Knight noted the proposed General Fund budget is expected to have revenues and expenditures of $37,091,563.

Most of the revenue will come from State-provided Quality Basic Education or QBE funds of just over $23.1 million.

Knight noted Franklin County’s equalization formula from the State has gone down from 70% state funding in FY20 to 62% in FY22.

“It’s based on your tax digest and where you guys got hit in that equalization amount where you weren’t collecting enough tax and they jumped up at 16%. Well, that’s what’s feeding into the equalization formula right now. You compared to all the other 189 school districts, you grew a lot more than they did. So they got some of your equalization money,” she said.

Behind that is funding from local property taxes in the amount of just over $12.5 million, based on a millage rate of 17 mils for FY22.

“The local proposed is to stay at 17 mils – the same as last year. There is a property tax increase, based on what the tax commissioner gave us in terms of the value of a mil. They’re saying the value of a mil will be $784,312. So it’s up about $40,000,” she said.

Other funding sources she said include $376,635 in Charter funds and $1.4 million in other local revenues and reimbursements.

Knight said the new budget is projecting just over $37-million in expenditures for FY22.

Included in that is $7.1 million in requests from all departments for the next fiscal year, most of which she said will come from SPLOST, CARES Act funding, and the General Fund.

On Thursday, the Board will hold a public hearing on the proposed budget to give the public an opportunity to ask questions and comment.

That meeting takes place at 5:30p at the Board of Education office in Carnesville.

The School Board is then expected to formally adopt the FY22 budget at their meeting on June 17th.

A special session will be held on June 24 to set the millage rate.

The Board will then formally vote to adopt the millage rate at their meeting on July 22nd.